


Prompt: Broken voice

by Rangergirl3



Series: Whumptober 2019 [28]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blood and Injury, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24079057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rangergirl3/pseuds/Rangergirl3
Summary: Allura joins the Coalition meeting.A direct continuation of the previous fic (Family by Choice)
Relationships: Allura & Keith (Voltron), Coran & Keith (Voltron), Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt, Matt Holt & Keith
Series: Whumptober 2019 [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1506101
Comments: 36
Kudos: 161





	Prompt: Broken voice

The grip on the back of his neck vanishes, but it doesn't change the fact that Keith is still lying prone on the deck of a Galra ship, surrounded by enemies, with both wrists cuffed behind him.

His broken ankle throbs, the pain relentless and nauseating. The gashes on his face still radiate heat, the twisted mockery of Altean markings burned and slashed into his skin.

Keith wishes he could will himself to feel nothing, but that wish is in vain.

The best he can do is try not to throw up, or start crying again.

The right side of his face is now pressed against the floor. The metal is cold beneath his cheek, but it's growing steadily warmer. 

Keith can't keep both his eyes fixed on the screen anymore. His head aches, and everything's much too bright.

The bastard who branded him smiles down. It's the only thing in focus right now.

"There. Isn't that nice. Now everyone knows you are an ally of Altea."

Keith is in far too much pain to think of a snarky comeback, and anyway, his mind's half-gone already. He's been this monster's prisoner for several days, and he hasn't slept in....when _did_ he last sleep? 

That fleeting question vanishes from his mind as the Galra general reaches down, still smiling, taking hold of the iron shackle that links Keith's wrists together, and twists it harshly, putting enough pressure on the wrists to-

Keith screams again, kicks out reflexively with his one good leg. He's terrified that the general will break both his wrists just as easily as he'd broken Keith's ankle. 

His kick is weak, ineffective. The pressure on his wrists increases, and even though Keith squirms and thrashes in place, it doesn't loosen the monster's grip one bit.

_Please, no, please, don't -_

Someone from the comms screen lets out a choked sob, and Keith hates himself for being so weak, so _useless_.

* * *

Thanks to the pain that he's in, Keith is finding it extremely difficult to make sense of anything going on around him. He only begins to realize what's about to happen when the Galra general's teeth show in an ugly smile.

"It seems we are about to have royalty in attendance."

At first, Keith doesn't understand.

 _Royalty_?

The Olkarians had overthrown their king. 

Who else would -

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Keith sees another comms screen opens up. It's smaller, but the voice is - familiar - 

"I am Princess Allura, of Altea. Am I to understand that you have a message for m-"

Keith's heart nearly stops. 

If she sees him like this - it would hurt her, just like it hurt Coran.

No. _No_.

"- what is - what is the meaning of -"

The Galra general releases his hold of Keith's wrists, turning his attention back to the two comms screen.

"Ah, Princess. I want to congratulate you."

"On what, may I ask?"

Keith can't see her face from here, but that won't be the case for long, not if the General has anything to do with it. Even now, the Galra general is already reaching down for Keith's hair, intent on showing off his brutal work to the last living Altean of the royal family.

"The loyalty of your allies. It appears to be...well, let me just show you, instead."

An image flashes through Keith's mind in that moment.

Allura, so self-assured, so confident, so kind and smart, forever unable to look at herself in a mirror without a shudder, because every time she saw the _real_ Altean markings on her own face, she would remember the horrible, twisted marks on his.

No. 

Better that she never see his face again then to have that forced upon her.

Keith grits his teeth, summons all of his remaining courage, and keeps his face turned away from the screen. 

The Galra general laughs.

"Oh, shy now, are you?"

He bends down to grip Keith by the scalp, yanks on his hair, but Keith still resists as best he is able. 

It's the only thing he can do. 

_Delay, delay, delay._

Even now, Coran is speaking rapidly, and Allura's voice replies.

Keith doesn't hear the words directed at him at first, not until she's repeated them.

"Keith? Keith, please, look at me. They'll keep hurting you until you do. Please, Keith -"

Keith can’t get enough air. Everything hurts so much, and he’s so, so tired. He tried to shake his headfrom side to side, but it ends up as more of a full body spasm as the general finally succeeds in raising Keith's face from the ground.

Even now, Keith manages not to face Allura directly. He knows its only a matter of time, but - but maybe -

Pain spikes through his scalp as another vicious yank on his hair tears some of it out. There's blood trickling down the back of his neck.

The Galra general is snarling, now. Some of his laughter has slipped away, to be replaced by fury.

"Such a pity, then, that your friend is ashamed to bear the marks of Altea."

Keith's mind whirls in confused dismay. No, no, that's not right.

"Th-that's - that's not true -"

The General's claws rake across Keith's scalp, down the right side of his face, and latch around his neck with a terrifying amount of strength, drawing Keith's ear right up against the Galra's clawed fangs.

"Then enlighten me."

Keith's skin crawls, and he tenses up, still trying to avert his face as best he can as he answers in short, harsh, broken bursts of sound. It's all he can manage. 

"You - d-did it to h-hurt Coran - and - and I won't - I won't help you - h-hurt Allura. I _w-won'_ t."

Two of the general’s claws hook into the left side of Keith’s mouth, catching and tearing at the skin as Keith’s face is twisted sideways and upwards, towards the screen once more. The generals voice hisses in Keith’s ear once more, gloating satisfaction in every word.

"Too late, halfbreed."

Confusion, then horror, causes Keith opens his one good eye, and he looks up in time to see tears streaming down Allura's face. She's staring back at him in - heartbreak? Horror? Both?

He doesn't know. All Keith knows is that he's about to start crying again, too.

The Galra general stands back up, still smiling at both of them. 

"It appears that the half-breed has found a pack. How sweet."

Keith swallows back tears, unable to look away from Allura. She’ll never be able to unsee this mockery of her people. The last two remaining Alteans are going to have this horrible, ugly, twisted image in their memories, forever.

"-'m s-sorr-"

His broken whisper is abrubtly cut off as a sentry's metallic fingers clamp down over his mouth. The sudden, unexpected contact frightens him, but when he tries to twist away, the sentry’s grip only goes tighter.

Keith wants to be sick. His friends are being forced to watch this sadistic show of power, and there’s nothing he can do to make it stop.

He wishes he could pass out. He’s close to losing consciousness, but he’s not there yet. 

Please, please, please let this be over soon.

_Please._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading - please know that kudos and comments are loved and appreciated! :-) Comments especially really, really help me get inspired/have more energy to use for writing. <3
> 
> I'm on Tumblr - come say hi!


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